Hockey net protector

ABSTRACT

In one aspect, the invention is directed to a hockey net protector including an outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer includes an elongate band of tear resistant and puncture resistant material. The outer layer has an inside face, an upper edge and a lower edge. The inner layer has a plurality of grommets mounted thereon for connecting the protector to a hockey net. The inner layer is attached to the inside face of the outer layer, so that the grommets are covered by the outer layer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to hockey net protectors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hockey net protectors are used to protect the mesh on a hockey net fromthe blades of players' skates during play behind the net. Typically, ahockey net protector is an elongated band from a tear resistant andpuncture resistant material, having an upper row and a lower row ofgrommets along the length of the band. The grommets permit the band tobe attached to the hockey net using a suitable cord. During play,however, hockey players can get their skates tangled in the cord.Furthermore, the protector does little to protect the lower portion ofthe frame from metal-to-metal contact with players' skates, which canpotentially damage both the frame and the skates. Furthermore, becauseof the generally poor fit between the protector and the net, there is arisk of the hockey puck front becoming lodged between the protector andthe net during play.

There is a need for improved hockey net protectors, that protect againstgetting tangled with players' skates and that provide improvedprotection of the lower rear bar, and that inhibit the puck from beinglodged between the protector and the net during play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the invention is directed to a hockey net protector,comprising an outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer includesan elongate band of tear resistant and puncture resistant material. Theband has an inside face, an upper edge and a lower edge. The inner layerhas a plurality of grommets mounted thereon for connecting the protectorto a hockey net. The inner layer being attached to the inside face ofthe outer layer, so that the grommets are hidden by the outer layer.

In a second aspect, the invention is directed to a hockey net protector,comprising an elongate band of tear-resistant and puncture-resistantmaterial. The band includes a planer central portion for mating with agenerally planar central rear portion of a hockey net. The band alsoincludes an outer portion on each side of said central portion. Eachouter portion has a generally coned shape, for mating with a generallyconical side portion on the hockey net. The band also has a plurality ofgrommets mounted thereon for connecting the protector to the hockey net.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show moreclearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made byway of example to the accompanying drawings, showing a hockey net and ahockey net protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent Invention In which:

FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a hockey net;

FIG. 1b is a front elevation view of the hockey net shown in FIG. 1a;

FIG. 1c is a top plan view of the hockey net shown in FIG. 1a;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hockey net protector in accordancewith a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the hockey net protector shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the hockey net protector shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view of the hockey net protector shown in FIG. 2, alongsection 5—5;

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the inside of the hockey net protectorshown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are side sectional views showing alternative lines ofattachment between portions of the inner layer and the outer layer;

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view showing an alternative inner layerattached to the outer layer;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a hockey net protector in accordancewith another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective cut-away view of the hockey netprotector shown in FIG. 2 attached to the hockey net shown in FIG. 1a.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is made to FIGS. 1a, 1 b and 1 c, which show a hockey net 10.Hockey net 10 includes a frame 12 and a mesh 14. The frame 12 and mesh14 define a central rear portion 16, two side portions 18, a top portion20, and a front opening 22. The central rear portion 16 is generallyplanar, and sloped. The side portions 18 are generally conical and aretangentially associated with the rear portion 16. The top portion 20 isgenerally planar and horizontal.

The frame 12 includes a lower rear bar 24, to which the lower edge ofthe mesh 14 is attached. Crimping 26 may be included an the uppersurface of the lower rear bar 24, for the attachment of a hockey netprotector.

Reference is made to FIG. 2, which shows a hockey net protector 30 inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Hockey netprotector 30 is for protecting the lower portion of the mesh of hockeynet 10 from players' skates during play behind hockey net 10.Furthermore, hockey net protector 30 provides a barrier to preventmetal-to-metal contact between players' skates and the lower rear bar 24of hockey net 10.

Hockey net protector 30 includes an outer layer 32 and an inner layer34. The outer layer 32 is an elongate band of material that is punctureresistant and may be tear-resistant, such as, for example, ballisticnylon. The outer layer 32 has an upper edge 36, a lower edge 38, aninside face 40 and an outside face 42.

Outer layer 32 may have a central portion 44 that is generally planarfor mating with the generally planar central rear portion 15 of hockeynet 10. Central portion 44 may be generally the same length as thecentral rear portion of hockey net 10. Outer layer 32 may also includetwo outer portions 46 which are generally conical in shape, for matingwith the generally conical side portions 18 of hockey net 10. Outerlayer 32 may be generally the same length as the side portions 18 ofhockey net 10.

Outer portions 40 may be made conical using any suitable technique. Forexample, outer portions 46 may include pleats 48. Pleats 48 extendtransversely from the upper edge 36 part-way across the width of theouter layer 46. Pleats 48 cause the outer portions 46 to have a shorterlength along the upper edge 36 than on the lower edge 38, which in turn,causes a conical curl in outer portions 46.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and 9, the inner layer 34 is attached to theinside face 40 of the outer layer 32. The inner layer 34 has a pluralityof grommets 50 therethrough, which are hidden by the outer layer 32. Forexample, the inner layer 34 may comprise an upper grommet band 52 and alower grommet band 54. The upper grommet band 52 may be made from amaterial such as, for example, a weaved nylon webbing. The upper grommetband 52 has a plurality of grommets 50 therethrough. The grommets 50 maybe distributed along the length of the upper grommet band 52. Thecenter-to-center spacing between adjacent grommets 50 may besufficiently small so that a pocket cannot be formed between them that apuck can fit into inadvertently during play. For example, thecenter-to-center spacing between adjacent grommets 50 may be less thanthe diameter of a standard hockey puck. The center-to-center spacing maybe, for example, 2″.

The upper grommet band 52 may be positioned on outer layer 32 adjacentto the upper edge 36. The upper grommet band 52 may be attached to theouter layer 32 by any suitable means, such as by being sewn on to outerlayer 32. Alternatively, the upper grommet band 52 may, for example, beriveted, welded (eg. sonic welded) or glued to the outer layer 32. Theline of attachment of the upper grommet band 52 to the outer layer 32 isshown at 55. The line of attachment 55 may be spaced from the upper edge36 of the outer layer 32 by any suitable amount, and may be on the loweredge of the upper grommet band 52, so that the upper grommet band 52extends upwardly therefrom and has a free upper edge. Alternatively, theline of attachment 55 may be along the uppermost edges of both the uppergrommet band 52 and the outer layer 32, so that the upper grommet band52 extends downwardly therefrom (see FIGS. 7 and 8). As anotheralternative, the upper grommet band 52 may be attached to the outerlayer 32 along two lines of attachment, one line being on each side ofthe grommets 50.

In a similar fashion to the upper grommet band 52, The upper grommetband 62 may be made from a material such as, for example, a weaved nylonwebbing, and has a plurality of grommets 50 therethrough. The lowergrommet band 54 may be positioned on the outer layer 32 so that thelower edge of the lower grommet band 54 is adjacent to the lower edge 38of the outer layer 32.

Referring to FIG. 6, the center-to-center spacing between adjacentgrommets 50 on the lower grommet band 54 may be larger than that for theupper grommet band 52, because there is a reduced concern of the puckbecoming lodged in a pocket between adjacent grommets 50 and the lowerrear bar 24. The center-to-center spacing may be, for example, 3″.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, the lower grommet band 54 may beattached to the outer layer 32 similarly to the upper grommet band 52.The line of attachment of the lower grommet band 64 to the outer layer32 is shown at 56. The line of attachment 56 may be spaced from thelower edge 38 of the outer layer 32 and the lower grommet band 54 mayextend downwardly therefrom, and have a free lower edge, so that theremaining portion of the outer layer 32 that is below the line ofattachment 56 can at least partially cover the lower rear bar 24 and thecrimping 28. Alternatively, the line of attachment 56 may be along thelower edge of both the lower grommet band and the outer layer 32 so thatthe lower grommet band 54 extends upwardly therefrom and has a freeupper edge (see FIGS. 7 and 9). Alternatively, the line of attachment 56may be above and below the grommets 50.

Reference is made to FIG. 10, which shows an alternative inner layer 58.Inner layer 58 comprises a single grommet band of material 60, having aplurality of grommets 50 thereon. The grommet band 60 may be made from asimilar material to the grommet bands 52 and 64. The grommets 50 may bearranged in any suitable way, for example, in a single row, or in aplurality of rows. The inner layer 58 may be attached to the outer layeralong a single line of attachment 62, which may, for example, be alongthe top of the band 60 so that the band 60 extends downwards therefrom.Alternatively, the inner layer 58 may be attached to the outer layer 32along a plurality of lines of attachment, such as along the top andbottom edges of the band 60.

Reference is made to FIG. 11, which shows a hockey net protector 100 inaccordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.Hockey net protector 100 includes a single layer that is similar toouter layer 32 and includes a planar central portion 102 and two outerportions 104 which have pleats 48 thereon so that the outer portions 104are generally cone-shaped. The protector 100 has a plurality of grommets50 mounted thereon. Grommets 50 may he arranged in any suitable way,such as, for example, in a single row, or in a plurality or rows, asshown.

As shown in FIG. 12, a cord 66, such as nylon cord can be used to attachthe upper grommet band 52 to the mesh 14 on the hockey net 10. The cord56 may be woven tightly through the grommets 50 and the mesh 14, to drawthe upper portion of the hockey net protector 30 against the mesh 14.Similarly, a cord 56 may be used to attach the lower grommet band 54 tothe crimping 26 on the lower rear bar 24. The cord 56 may be woventightly through the grommets 50 and between the crimping 26 and thelower rear bar 24, to draw the lower portion of the hockey net protectoragainst the lower rear bar 24.

Because the grommets 50 are positioned on the inner layer 34, and arecovered by the outer layer 32, there is a reduced risk for the cords 56to become entangled in a players skates during play behind the net 10.The conical shape of the outer portions 46 permits them to fit closelyagainst the side portions 18 of the hockey net 10. The close fit reducesthe risk of the outer portions 46 being caught by a player's skateduring play behind the net 10. Furthermore, the close fit reduces therisk of a puck being caught between the protector 30 and the mesh 14 ofthe hockey net 10. The spacing of the lower grommet band 54 from thelower edge 38 at the outer layer, permits the outer layer to at leastpartially cover the lower rear bar 24, and thus protect againstmetal-to-metal contact between a player's skates and the lower rear bar24.

Hockey net protector 10 may include any suitable number of grommet bands52, 54, and may have any suitable number of rows or any other suitablearrangement of grommets 50 thereon.

While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments, itwill be appreciated that the present invention is susceptible tomodification and change without departing from the fair meaning of theaccompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hockey net protector for a hockey net having alower rear bar, said lower bar having an upper side, said upper sidehaving crimping thereon, the hockey net protector comprising: an outerlayer, said outer layer comprising an elongate band of tear resistantand puncture resistant material, said band having an inside face, anupper edge and a lower edge; and an inner layer, said inner layer havinga plurality of grommets mounted thereon for connecting said protector toa hockey net, said inner layer being attached to said inside face ofsaid outer layer, so that said grommets are covered by said outer layer,wherein said inner layer comprises an upper grommet band and a lowergrommet band, said upper and lower grommet bands each having a row ofsaid grommets thereon and being attached to said inside face of saidouter layer along a line of attachment, and wherein said hockey net hasa lower rear bar, said lower bar having an upper side, said upper sidehaving crimping thereon. and wherein said lower grommet band has anupper edge and said line of attachment for said lower grommet band isalong said upper edge of said lower grommet band so that said lowergrommet band extends downwardly therefrom and has a free lower edge, andsaid line of attachment is spaced from said lower edge of said outerlayer, so that when said lower grommet band is connected to saidcrimping, said outer layer is adapted to cover said lower rear bar.
 2. Ahockey net protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grommets onsaid upper grommet band are spaced from each other by a distance that isless than the diameter of a hockey puck.
 3. A hockey net protector asclaimed in claim 1, wherein: said hockey net has a sloped, generallyplanar central portion and a generally conical side portion on each sideof and tangentially associated with said central portion, and said outerlayer has a flat central portion for protecting said central rearportion of said hockey net, and said outer layer has two outer portions,each said outer portion having a generally coned shape, so that saidouter portions are adapted for mating with said generally conical sideportions.
 4. A hockey net protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein: saidhockey net has a sloped, generally planar central portion and agenerally conical side portion on each side of and tangentiallyassociated with said central portion, and said outer layer has a planarcentral portion for protecting said central rear portion of said hockeynet, and said outer layer has two outer portions, each said outerportion having transverse pleats extending from said upper edge downpartially across the width of said band, so that said outer portions areadapted for mating with said generally conical side portions.
 5. Ahockey net protector, comprising: an outer layer, said outer layercomprising an elongate band of tear resistant and puncture resistantmaterial, said band having an inside face, an upper edge and a loweredge; and an inner layer, said inner layer having a plurality ofgrommets mounted thereon for connecting said protector to a hockey net,said inner layer being attached to said inside face of said outer layer,so that said grommets are covered by said outer layer. wherein saidinner layer comprises an upper grommet band and a lower grommet band,said upper and lower grommet bands each having a row of said grommetsthereon and being attached to said inside face of said outer layer alonga line of attachment, wherein said upper grommet band has a lower edgeand said line of attachment for said upper grommet band is along saidlower edge of said upper grommet band, so that said upper grommet bandextends upwardly therefrom and has a free upper edge.
 6. A hockey netprotector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said grommets on said uppergrommet band are spaced from each other by a distance that is less thanthe diameter of a hockey puck.
 7. A hockey net protector as claimed inclaim 5, wherein: said hockey net has a sloped, generally planar centralportion and a generally conical side portion on each side of andtangentially associated with said central portion, and said outer layerhas a flat central portion far protecting said central rear portion ofsaid hockey net, and said outer layer has two outer portions, each saidouter portion having a generally coned shape, so that said outerportions are adapted for mating with said generally conical sideportions.
 8. A hockey net protector as claimed in claim 5, wherein: saidhockey net has a sloped, generally planar central portion and agenerally conical side portion on each side of and tangentiallyassociated with said central portion, and said outer layer has a planarcentral portion for protecting said central rear portion of said hockeynet, and said outer layer has two outer portions, each said outerportion having transverse pleats extending from said upper edge downpartially across the width of said band, so that said outer portions areadapted for mating with said generally conical side portions.